Pro-life Legislation In Indiana

Pro-life Legislation In Indiana

As a pro-life supporter and policymaker, this legislative session I co-authored a measure establishing a system for proper disposal of fetal remains by facilities that receive the remains – either from miscarriages or abortions – while also making it illegal to transport aborted fetuses into or out of Indiana.

This piece of legislation was crafted after it was discovered that a medical waste company in Indiana was accepting containers with fetal tissue.

With this proposal, Hoosiers can find a bit of solace knowing that Indiana’s landfills will no longer contain human remains. Fetal remains should not be dealt with in such a disrespectful manner, and House Enrolled Act 1337 is meant to assure that the remains of unborn children are treated with respect and dignity rather than deposited into our landfills.

After House members supported this measure in February, it was considered by the Senate and amended to also prohibit an abortion in Indiana on the sole grounds of the race, color, national origin, ancestry or sex of the fetus; or a diagnosis or potential diagnosis of the fetus having Down syndrome or any other disability. It alsorequires physicians to provide information about hospice care to a pregnant woman who is considering an abortion because the unborn child has been diagnosed with a life threatening disability or because of race, sex, national origin or ancestry. It also provides for disciplinary sanctions and civil liability for a wrongful death if a physician knowingly performs an abortion based on any of these categories.

The House voted to pass the amended version of the bill to help save the lives of infants in Indiana who may not have the chance to live otherwise and to make it a misdemeanor to knowingly transport an aborted fetus into or out of Indiana except for the purpose of burial or cremation.

At this point, the governor has three choices concerning this enrolled act. He could sign it into law, he could veto the enrolled act, or he could let the enrolled act become law without his signature. Visit www.in.gov/gov/2016billwatch to learn about the status of this and other proposals for new laws. If you have any questions or input, please contact me at h75@iga.in.gov or by calling 1-800-382-9841.